Growing Potted Plants

While growing plants indoors can be rewarding, it requires commitment and time in addition to knowledge about the necessary lighting, soil and temperature for the plant you want to grow. In addition, there are several methods for growing plants in pots.

Inspect the area where you plan to keep your plants before you do anything else. You must place the potted plant in an area where it will get several hours of natural sunlight every day. If you have the budget for it, artificial lighting is another option. There are special indoor lights and lamps that can be used to replace natural sunlight. The easiest factor to control is temperature, so ensure your home's temperature is ideal for the plant.

Match your potted plant with an appropriate container. The bigger the plant, the bigger the pot should be. If you put a big plant in a small pot it can become unhealthy due to the roots' inability to "breathe" properly and stunted growth. A small plant in a large pot will usually not look good, but it might grow to fit its pot. Instead, you should start your plant in a small pot, transplanting it to a larger one when it outgrows the smaller size. You also have the option of selecting various sizes and styles of pots. The diameter of the container should be half the height of the plant. Further, make sure the pot has drainage holes in its bottom to prevent the roots from drowning.

Next you need to find a proper growing medium or soil. Garden soil is usually not suitable, because it doesn’t drain properly. Further, garden soil could contain fungi or insects that are harmful to the plant type. Instead choose a packaged potting soil that will aerate the roots and help the plant retain moisture.

The appropriate time to water the plant can be affected by several factors. These include the type of plant you're growing as well as sun, rain, wind and heat.

You should water most plant regularly, although not to the drowning point. However, desert plants like aloe vera may do better when you allow them to dry out instead of flooding them with large amounts of water. Desert varieties, therefore, are often better choices for people who have a hard time remembering to regularly water their plants. The amount of water any plant needs can vary each day.

Compared to plants grown in the ground, those grown in pots tend to dry up faster. To find out whether a plant needs to be watered, you can stick your finger into the soil. If it is dry, then it needs to be watered.

In general, you should fertilize potted plants every two weeks. When you water a plant, it flushes the nutrients from the growing medium. Organic fertilizer is preferrable, particularly if kids or pets are in the home, you grow edible plants, or you'll use the plants for medicinal or personal purposes.

Note that some plants are poisonous to humans and/or animals. If you have pets or children in your home, ensure you do proper research on a plant before you bring it into an environment where they can access it. (See Pets and Plant Poisoning for more information on this.)

When you grow a plant in or around your home, you should do what you can to protect it from destructive pests. Even if it’s inside the house, insects can get in and destroy your plant. To combat this problem, you can use one of the organic pesticides on the market.

Growing pot plants – whether inside the home, in a window box, on a patio or balcony, or in an outdoor garden, is a rewarding and worthwhile endeavor. Whether for decoration or fragrance, as edible fruits and vegetables, or for teas and natural remedies, potted plants have endless uses.

Although study and application of standard practices and proper growing techniques are necessary when growing plants indoors, the process will become easier and is worth the trouble.

About the author: Megan Barlow helps others learn how to live more environmentally friendly lives. Find out more about sustainable living at her blog on Green Resourceful Living.

Original Article: Growing Potted Plants.